The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-30
LITIGATION HAPPILY CLOSED.
The Defendants in the Lyons Suit Acknowl-
edge the Claimants Rights.

The Lyons-O Donnell case came to sudden
termination yesterday morning. There wss
large crowd in court. looking for further sensa-
tional developments that the argument might
offer. But the events took an unexpected turn
For an hour previous the attorneys for each side
had been in the judges private room talking
over compromise. At the close of this
sultation Mr.. Span, council for defense. APP
peared before the court and announced that he
had agreed the jury should find tor the plaintiff.
and in accordance with this the verdict was re-
turned that ELLEN Lyons was the wife of John
A. Lyons, and that Ellen May Lyons
was his daughter. and as such they
are entitled to all his property both
personal and real" The agreement under which
this conclusion was reached provides that
So, 300 OF the estate is to to the brothers aud
two sisters of the deceased. Mr.. Span went
further and waived all rights to new trial on
appeal. When the proper entries we're made,
Father Gallagher. who had been sitting near
Mr.. Lyons all the morning, passed over to the
two sisters of the dead man, and, after few
miputes' conversation, led them around the bar
and introduced them to their brothers wife and
niece. 1t was the first personal meeting of the
ltigants, and was very affecting. The venera-
bic priest urged them to longer be
enemies, but friends; and to this all
| signs Of affection in caresses and kisses
| Many who witnessed the contract of peace
could not restrain their tears To Father Gal
| lagher it was the happest moment in his life as
| he described it, as.ne smilingly led the united
| family from the courtroom 1t had been the
intention OF Mrs. Lyons and her daughter to re
turn to Cincinnati last evening" but they have
accepted an invitation from their relatives and
new made friends to spend few days with them
| here Colonel Hunt returned home last even
| ing. Just before leaving the court-roo Mrs.
Lyons consented to talk for the first time since
she came here. She told her story in few
words as follows: ''After the marriage Mr..
| Lyons accompanied me to Shelbno Mo-, where
| we lived for a short time he left me. going to
St Louis. and from there he wrote letter say
| ing that he would not return. He assigned nc
reason for his action, except that be wanted to
look about, and did not say that he would OF
would not return to me. l went back to my
| horne at Cincinnati, and lived there quietly
through the years until heard Of his death. He
visited me occasionally, but we never lived to
desertioD. I would not follow him. That
is about all Of the story" Much
Of the widows success in establishing
her claim is due to the efforts of Father Hoeten
of Cincinnati He was led to take interest in
the matter because brother married sister oil
Mrs. Lyons II came here with woman and
girl" said he yesterday morning, s'but l e
home with wife and daughter" Thomas
ODonnell will continue as administrator of tht
| estate, the entire value of which is about $l8.
600. After Mrs Lyons makes present of So,
500 to the brother and sisters of her late hus
| band, and pays her attorneys, she will have
fully $4,000 left for herself and daughter. Al
old friend of the deceased Lyons was STANDING
behind the bar after the compromise had beef
| effected ~ have been here every day of tn
trial." said he, land l knew the first day en-
tered that Mrs Lyons was John A. Lyons's wife
No decision of the jury would nave convince,
| me otherwise. l knew it because the youn
woman who is his daughter is the very pictur,
of him. If had seen her on the street woul
have known she was John A. Lyonss child"